People may not flock to Westminster during the summer like they do to Anaheim for Disney Land, but the neighborhood is generally considered safe, stable and unpretentious. It also puts you close enough to the action, so you have plenty of options of what you do on the weekend if you so choose. If the current goals for your new home include finding a regular playground for your kids to blow off steam or shopping at a grocery store that's close enough so your ice cream isn't already melted by the time you get back, then Westminster CA may just be the perfect place for you. Movoto would like to give you a feel of the community.
What Are The Demographics?
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Westminster CA has an average home price of $595,000 with homes selling for $465,000 at the beginning of 2015. The residents there are are generally between 40 and 64 years old, with 40 percent White and 48 percent Asian making up the majority of the population. There are a smattering of other cultures living here as well, so you will see some diversity. Almost 70 percent of the people living here hold a Bachelors degree or higher, and a third make over $75,000 a year. The highest percentage of people are married with children, but it's marginal at about 27 percent. There are about equal numbers of people who are married without children, single or living in non-family households. With 44 percent of the population living in rental units, the average rates are between $1,000 and $1,500 a month to live in this neighborhood. Typically these are responsible renters who don't threaten the state of the community or property values. You'll find a combination of newly constructed single family, multi-story homes with modern features on the market along with the standard Southern California ranches that were built during the 1950's and 1960's. Condos will be harder to come by, likely due to the rental market and the original concept of a city made for families. The school system is regarded as good and certain educational programs have won specific awards for their merit.
What's the Culture Here?
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From summertime concerts to the Memorials and gardens, the community programs of Westminster make it a priority to offer events that benefit those who live here. If you enjoy making a difference where you live, you'll likely have an easy time getting involved. You'll also get a lot of the standard offerings of Southern California like fitness activities (gyms, classes, dance lessons, etc), but there's also bowling alleys and general bars and restaurants like any city. It's not necessarily known for its food, but you won't have any trouble finding your favorites considering the cultural influences here.
What's the Quality of Life?
Like any place, Westminster CA has its good points and bad points. The weather is fabulous, and Westminster's sidewalk-lined streets make it easy for you to just lace up your running shoes and hit the pavement right outside your door. Keep in mind that there are also over 20 parks here that house basketball courts, bike trails and plenty of greenspaces for everyone to breathe. You can also find a farmers market so you can enhance your everyday dinners with fresh, local produce. The average commute time is 25.5 minutes and 81 percent of the people travel by private vehicle. While your local streets will likely be easy to navigate most times, the freeways near you will see some major jams that can occur at any time of day. All the cars on the road unfortunately do not help the air quality here though, and it's about 50 points over the national average on the index.
What Is Westminster Best Known For?
Source:wikimedia.org
Westminster is known for it's welcoming atmosphere. This is an inviting place to be, and it's easy to see why. With an excellent city lay out that makes it easy to get all of your general errands run in one location, it shouldn't take very long before you feel at home. The mall, parks and community activities all keep the residents busy on the weekends, and make for relaxed outings without the traffic and congestion of the beach cities in Orange County. There can be a lot of emphasis on who's wearing or driving what and how you look when you live in this state, but Westminster generally does not fall prey to these trappings. It's safer than nearby Santa Ana, and while it hasn't enjoyed the jump in prices that some of the nearby communities have seen, it's still had gains in its housing markets. Some of the other communities in this area are experiencing major change, but Westminster might be a better choice for established families or professionals who want some peace and quiet in their days.
